The Secret
by Sealson
Summary: They have a secret that everyone wants to know and no one wants to like. A rather long one shot


**I got really bored this afternoon and spent about 3 hours typing away. It might be low in quality but it passed time for me. Thanks for reading!**

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"Wake up, lazy." The pink haired girl teased the silver haired man lying beside her as the first few rays of sunlight laid on her sleepy face.

It was a Monday and the two jonins prepared for the long day of training ahead of them. They made their separate ways to the usual team 7 training ground; Sakura headed straight to the training grounds, Kakashi would go assist old ladies and avoid all the black cats in the village.

At the training ground, a boy with raven hair was already there with a bored face. It has been a few months since he has returned to Konoha. Sakura remembered how a worse for wear Naruto walked through the main gates, dragging an even worse for wear Sasuke behind him; afterwards at the hospital, Naruto joked how he kept his promise by brining back Sasuke and breaking every one of his bones. Before that incident, Naruto had always been away for his training with Jiraiya, leaving Sakura behind, who secretly wished that she herself could become better than just a medic with inhuman strength.

Her wish was quickly granted when Kakashi showed up on her doorstep one morning and took her out for some one-on-one training. She quickly went from a being little chuunin into a jonin, ranking high enough to accompany her former sensei on A and even the rare S ranked missions.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan!" The enthusiastic boy with equally enthusiastic yellow hair shouted at he approached.

"Good morning Naruto." She chirped. Ever since Sasuke has been back, she rarely spoke to him, instead she would speak openly to her former sensei and the blond.

The two jonins of team 7 could often be seen together, although it is normal for jonins of the same to be wander around together.

To everyone else, Sakura and Kakashi's relationship was purely professional and would hate to think of them as anything more than teammates. To a small section of the population such as the Hokage and her assistant, that was not the case; they were more than just teammates, they were cautious lovers. This secret was a dangerous secret to keep, not many would accept the relationship between those two especially with the large age difference. As the Hokage, Tsunade originally rejected the relationship, but eventually accepted it when she saw just happy the duo were and also after some persuasion from Shizune. Suspicion from others arose when the two were seen entering the same apartment one night but was dismissed later on. Naruto was the third person to sniff out the truth.

"So Sakura, I was wondering if you're free tonight to have dinner or something with me." This was not the first time Sasuke tried to ask her to go on a date with him.

"No, sorry. I'm busy this evening." As usual, her reply was short and concise, turning him down as soon as he asked – painless.

That was in fact Sasuke's twentieth attempt. He found it very suspicious that despite her claims to be busy, she could always be seen hanging around with Kakashi. He was about to ask again when someone appeared on the railings of the bridge. His other teammates wasted no time in shouting "You're late!" only to be told by their former sensei that he had to help out an old lady.

After some long period of training, the team called it a day as Naruto ran off declaring his love for ramen, leaving the three behind.

"Sakura, is brown bread healthier?" Kakashi asked innocently scratching the back of his head.

"I'll show you which ones you should buy, come with me." She tugged his sleeve which did not go unnoticed by Sasuke. She noticed him staring and quickly corrected herself, mumbling something about buying some new equipment as well and would like to have Kakashi's expert opinion if he was not busy.

It has been almost half a year since the two have been hiding their relationship. By now, Sakura have moved in with Kakashi with the excuse that her landlady have thrown her out and Kakashi was kind enough to offer her a place to live. That was partially true as her landlady did throw her out, Kakashi didn't offer her a place to live but insisted on her living with him since they are a couple.

After dinner, Kakashi would sit on the couch with Sakura next to him or resting with her head on his lap while he stroked her cheek affectionately and mumbled out the words to his book. She would fall asleep after a while and he would carry her to bed before lying beside her and eventually falling asleep. If anyone asked either of them if they were busy after training, they would immediately say yes, although they do occasionally go out to meet up with their friends.

Tonight was different. Kakashi cooked dinner instead of Sakura, Sakura read while Kakashi rested his head on her lap.

"Do you think we should let people know? I'm getting tired of being asked out by Sasuke." Sakura spoke up as she put the novel down and rested her hand on his forehead.

"I'm not sure. If it took _that_ long for Tsunade to accept us, then it'll take even longer for others to accept us. What do you want to do?" He rose and watched as she tried to make a decision.

"I…don't know. I don't want you to get hurt along the way." Typical Sakura, no matter how much pain she was in, she would still want others to suffer less.

"I don't want you to get hurt either, and I do not want to lose you." He whispered as he leaned in for a kiss.

The two jonin were so caught up in their conversation that they failed to notice a small shadow crouched next to their window, watching everything and a camera snapped a few shots before the shadow disappeared.

After a while of thinking, neither have came up with a solution and decided to think about it after a good night's sleep.

The next morning, loud banging on the door could be heard. Lazily, Kakashi got dressed and went to open the door, while Sakura locked herself in the bathroom getting dressed.

"Kakashi, you've got some explaining to do." The angry voice belonged to Sasuke, holding up a small leaflet for him to see.

Kakashi took the leaflet and his single visible eye widened in shock when he saw it. On the leaflet, there was a picture of Kakashi and Sakura in one of their intimate moments last night on the couch and the text wrote "Should this be allowed?". Sakura appeared behind him and a small gasp left her lips when she saw the leaflet. She was afraid of what might follow if the village heard about this. She would be questioned by Ino about every small little detail about their relationship followed by a lecture on how Kakashi is not the one for him. Kakashi on the other hand was afraid what everyone would say about Sakura, he cared little about what others say about him.

After settling business with Sasuke, the two jonin went off to training as they usually did on a Tuesday morning. Along the way, hushed whispers could be heard but not hushed enough such that the couple could not hear them.

"How disgraceful. I would've thought she became a jonin with her own strength and power. Turns out to be another one of those 'borrowed' strength."

"How old is he and how old is she again?"

"How low can she go?"

A small child tripped and fell in front of Sakura, grazing his knee. She immediately cooed the chilled and stopped him crying and was about to heal his wound when the mother of the child appeared and pushed her aside taking her child away muttering something like "Keep your dirty hands off my boy.". Sakura cringed slightly, once the top medic of the village selflessly saving these people's lives, now pushed down to dirt by the same people. Kakashi helped her up and held her close. She did not know what he was planning, but she welcomed the warmth of his body. He kissed her forehead and wrapped himself around her. Around them, everyone stared in disgust, some even gone the distance in throwing a cabbage at him.

"Why thank you for the free cabbage." He flashed out his kunai and allowed the cabbage to sink a few inches into the kunai. He noticed that his companion was sobbing in his chest and anger flared up within him.

"Kakashi, let it go, it's nothing." She smiled weakly as she wiped off a few tears.

"How can I let it go if all they do is judge you for standing next to me? You gave your life to these people, saving them when they were sick or injured. Now they turn around and push you onto the ground. That is not fair."

"No, it's not." She mumbled.

From the crowd a man cried out to have his cabbage back when the two turned around to leave the area, while a girl with short black hair ran after them.

"Kakashi-san, Sakura! Wait up! Tsunade wants to see you guys!" Shizune shouted as she caught up with the two jonin.

"Oh, good morning Shizune." Sakura greeted her before leaping towards the Hokage tower.

"You asked to see us?" The silver haired jonin said.

"Yes. As you probably know, someone have learned your secret and had no intention on keeping it a secret. I'm sending you two on a long-term mission away from Konoha until this cools down. I will be contact you two every now and then. The Kazekage has guaranteed your safety in Suna. Go now."

The two nodded and leapt off to pack. They hopped along rooftops to prevent being seen. Packing the basic necessities such as Kakashi's prized novels and some spare food and equipment as well as clothes, the two set off to Suna. As they walked towards the gates, Genma was chased behind them asking Kakashi multiple questions while Ino screamed out her questions as she ran up to Sakura. Both were ignored as the two jonins disappeared from sight after walking out the gates.

Life in Suna was good. No one gossiped about their relationship, they shared a small cozy apartment courtesy of the Kazekage. The two would train in the training grounds along with other users there everyday, followed by dinner at home or in a small restaurant out somewhere nearby.

It wasn't long before Tsunade contacted them. In her short letter, she mentioned the well-being of their friends and how the situation is finally coming under control, although it was not advised that they return now due to a pandemic outbreak of an unknown disease.

"The people are suffering. I must return to help them. I can do something about this 'disease', if not at least help those who are suffering." Sakura did not think twice about herself before saying that. It was one of the qualities that Kakashi loved about her.

"But what about you? What if you get it too?" He was worried, but he couldn't stop admiring her determination to help and save others. He knew that there was no way that he could persuade her otherwise, so he helped her pack.

"What are you doing?" She stopped when she saw him pack as well.

"I'm not going to let you go on your own." His eye creased up.

After a day or two of traveling, the two jonins reached Konoha. Before anyone on duty can stop them, they dashed towards Konoha Hospital, where Tsunade was desperately trying to find a cure to this disease. She was shocked to see those two, but briefed them on the current situation, civilians and shinobi were filling the hospital after contracting the disease.

Sakura wasted no time in collecting some blood samples from patients and checking for abnormalities in the blood. Her hands glowed green as she tried to lower the temperature of some patients. Kakashi watched at the doorway, occasionally approaching her to give her a sandwich or wipe some sweat off her forehead.

"Kakashi, what do you notice about this disease?" Sakura asked when he embraced her from behind when she stood back and looked at her patient.

"Nearly everyone has it?" He could tell that she was tired.

"That may be the case. But this newborn baby is not infected. I'm starting to think that this disease is contagious."

"Hmm. I see, so this is…"

"I can heal these people, but in order to stop more people getting sick, I need to find the source."

"Let's take a walk, you need some fresh air, you've eaten nothing but leftover sandwiches from Suna."

"You too." She rose from her position and held his hand as they walked out of the hospital together. In their current state, no one could be bothered to judge them.

The went to buy some groceries, but was disappointed when the groceries looked gloomier than they expected it to be.

"Excuse me, but your vegetables are rotting in the back of the shop." Sakura kindly pointed out to the shop owner.

"No, my vegetables are the best in town already, you should see the other shops, all their vegetables are brown and rotten."

"Then why do they still sell them?" Kakashi joined in.

"Because all of us farmers had a really bad season and these are all the vegetables we have left from last year's stock to feed the village. I don't know what's wrong with my vegetables, I eat them all the time and I'm still alive."

"That's it." Sakura's face brightened up slightly as she grabbed the nearest vegetable and put the money on the counter, pulling Kakashi along behind her.

When the reached the hospital, Sakura went back to work and started mixing small vials of multicoloured liquids scrolls spread around her while she focused her chakra on them until she was panting for air, sweat dripping down her face. Her partner watched as she worked hard, wiping off the sweat on her face every now and then. After a few hours, jugs of clear liquid sat on the table.

"Done." She declared, "Help me carry these jugs so that we can cure everyone."

He nodded and followed her instructions, making a few shadow clones to help carry all the jugs on the table. Two hours later, all the patients in the hospital have been given a small cup of the clear liquid and all the jars lay empty on the table. Sakura slumped down onto a chair nearby, chakra depleted and exhausted, she finally gave in to the tiredness. Tsunade walked past the door and saw Sakura sleeping in the chair. Silently, she motioned Kakashi to take her to a spare ward and put her onto a bed instead of letting her sleep on a chair. It was apparent that Sakura's 'tonic' has cured everyone as people began to say that they feel much better to the nurses tending them.

Sakura slept for hours on the bed, while Kakashi stayed beside her holding her hand with one hand and stroking her cheek affectionately with the other all the time. Some nurse occasionally came in to leave him some food or to check if Sakura have woken up.

When the sun shone in the morning, the girl on the bed scrunched up her face, attempting to hid away from the light shining onto her face, disrupting her peaceful sleep, only to find that it was almost impossible to turn. She opened her eyes to see her lover holding her hand and sleeping on it. She lifted her other hand and stroked his hair gently, admiring its softness.

"You're awake." He spoke sleepily when he felt her hand on his head.

"Mm. Is everyone cured?" She nodded.

"Yes, thanks to you, Sakura." He leaned in to kiss her, but before their lips could touch, someone opened the door wide open.

"There they are!" It was a civilian with a few more civilians behind him. The two jonins froze in place afraid just what civilians might do to them.

"We just want to thank you two for saving everyone in the village. I suppose we owe you two an apology." Another civilian spoke up as he presented the couple a large basket of fresh fruits and vegetables that were not rotten. When Kakashi turned around to thank them, they scurried out of the room quickly, he didn't know he looked that scary, but turned back to look at Sakura.

"Your eye's all red." She giggled, as she reached up to his visible eye and poured some chakra in and soothed it.

"I see you're awake, Sakura." The Hokage walked through the door and sat on a chair nearby. "You two became heroes overnight, especially you Sakura, that tonic of yours. Without you, this village will be wiped out. How?"

"It was not a disease, people were just eating rotting vegetables."

When Sakura was released from the hospital, she walked hand in hand with Kakashi back to his apartment. Along the way, instead of hushed whispers and disapproving glances, there were cheers and small gifts from people they didn't even know in the first place.

After dinner that night, Kakashi sat on the couch embracing Sakura whilst reading his newest novel. Sakura snuggled slightly into his chest as he finished a chapter and put down the book.

"I kind of miss Suna. The food there is so strange and 'exotic'." Sakura breathed out.

"We can always go back there if you want. How about tomorrow, I feel like making sand castles." He responded immediately with his mask down revealing a soft smile as he leaned down to kiss her.

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**Care to review? Thanks!**


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